no transom hole for gas line on 25 o day

[pmortimer]

Hello out there. I need some help on my new boat. i have a 77 o day 25
that doesn't have a hole in the transom for gas line. Is there another way
this is accomplished or do I have to drill for a gas line? I had a 22 oday years ago and it had a gas line hole. It does have a 5 hp nissan engine and
a engine bracket but no hole. Strange. Any help on this would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Fernando Martinez]

Hello,

Are you putting in a permanent fuel tank in the bilge? I installed one on my Mac22 and I did not hesitate to drill a hole for the fuel line to go through, I later dressed the hole with a stainless steel clam to prevent water from going in the hole. I drilled the hole as high as I could on the transom, enough for the hose to make the bend and be far from any backwash. Dab some silicone around the hose before putting in the clam. Don't drill the hole before you check the backside so you don't drill into any electrical cables or any stiffeners that might get in the way. I hope this helps.

 

[jdratlif]

My Oday 25 does have a hole in the upper portion of the transom for the gas line to be routed through. I stow my gas tank below the cockpit, strap it down, and then route the gas line through the transom hole to the motor. I think installing this through hole fitting would be farily simple and there are plenty of fittings that you can find that will helps partially seal the opening.

I do have another concern about your post. Last year was my first year with the 25 and I loved it. However, when I bought the boat it came with a 5hp short shaft motor. I used this motor all season and it really held me back. The 5 hp power motor pushed the boat all right but only in calm conditions. The biggest problem I think was having the short shaft motor. Either way, I did not feel comfortable taking the boat out in subpar conditions and this limited the sailing I did. If you have the ability, I would replace your motor with an 8+ hp longshaft motor. Trust me, I tried to make my motor work but it just did not.

Either way, I hope you enjoy the boat.

 

[Fernando Martinez]

Hi JD, how do you vent your fuel the tank? If you stow it down below doesn't the fumes build up in your bilge and cabin? Permenet tanks need a vent and a deck fill. I don't suggest installing a temp tank down below.

 

[jdratlif]

Hi Fernando,

The fumes can build up in the cabin to an annoyance level. Thanks for bringing this up because I forgot about it. The Oday 25 locker area under the cockpit is not completely sealed so it does naturally vent. However, the fumes can find their way into cabin. To remedy this I remove the tank when we are at the dock or I close the vent tab on the tank. Closing the vent on the tank normally is the trick. I do not see stowing the tank below as a problem.

 

[KMm]

When I saw this post I was on the phone with my Ins. agent and asked him about portable fuel tanks, not vented, stored or used below deck, and was informed that would be grounds for them to deny payment if an accident happened. Common sense would also require a blower system like a power boat. A Boom!! would really ruin your day.

 

[Shoaldrafter]

gas locker

Kaymar,

The O'Day 26, whcih according to Rudy was an updated 25, has a fuel locker for 3 or 6 gal fuel tank. Its lid is plenty loose so that special vents are not necessary. It is at cockpit level so cannot be considered below deck. And hose comes out indentation at aft end of locker and over transom to motor. No hole in transom. In fact there is about a 5 inch gap between locker and transom.

Relax and go sailing...

Ed K

 

[Fernando Martinez]

There is a CFR somewhere that mentions and give directions to not use temp tanks below deck,, also if you run across a USCG inspection they should point that out. Gas vapors are heavier than air so they will spill and accumulate at the lowest point on the boat. They start to fill from the bottom up and if it reaches an ignition point then bad things happen, worse if you are onboard. It is a good habit as you mentioned to screw down the vent when you are not running the engine. Doing the install my self I paid around $245 for the part; 12 gl tank, fuel fill hose, vent hose, clamps, plywood, rubber matting, SS screws. I didn't put in a gauge since the tank is see thru so all I have to do is open the hatch and stick my head inside,, KISS practitioner. Now I don't think twice about the fuel, I have plenty to spare. Oh about the motor,, bigger is better! I had a short shaft 8hp which had plenty of power but one day I turned it on and then went to pick up the anchor and the motor sucked up air and I ruined the impeller and fried the engine. To make things worse storm came through and I couldn't put up the sail to get back to the marina,, I was stranded for two days before I could safely sail back to the marina. Oh my cell died too so my wife was a bit worried.. After this adventure I replaced the engine with a long shaft 10hp electric start and an anchor pulpit so I can haul the anchor from the cockpit. Sorry I went off course.

 

[Ritdog]

I have a hole in the transom about a foot from the top, but I just run the power line for the electric start Mercury 9.9. through that. Has a rubber dome type cover.... I built a little box that allows the gas tank to sit upright when stored , and just pull it out when I need it, using a standard Mercury gas fitting. It sits in the very stern of the cockpit, so is out of the way. We leave it there until we get to where we are going, then stow it for the night. Avoids a lot of gas smell in the cabin.

 

[cb32863]

Kaymar,

The O'Day 26, whcih according to Rudy was an updated 25, has a fuel locker for 3 or 6 gal fuel tank. Its lid is plenty loose so that special vents are not necessary. It is at cockpit level so cannot be considered below deck. And hose comes out indentation at aft end of locker and over transom to motor. No hole in transom. In fact there is about a 5 inch gap between locker and transom.

Relax and go sailing...

Ed K

The original post is in regards to an O' Day 25, same year as mine, not a 26, and they do not have a fuel locker. Mine was stored below, pretty much right next to the battery and loose wires. I will be moving it up to the cockpit as for me, it won't take up too much room. I also though have a hole drilled through that is below in the storage area so I will be fixing that and rerunning some things.

Drill the hole as needed and be smart about your tank storage.......

 

[RichBone]

I have a cockpit fuel locker on my '83 25.

Moving the tank so there is no gas smell in the cabin? Seems to me, and I'm no expert on this, but if there are fumes in the cabin then there must be fumes in the space under the cockpit. YOU DON'T WANT FUMES IN ANY ENCLOSED AREA. It's much better to have the tank sitting on the cockpit sole. Even storing the tank in an improperly ventilated area is no good. Gasoline is nothing to be casual about.

Rich

 

[Shoaldrafter]

O'Day 25's

Rich,

Since the first 25 to its evolution to 26 there were many modifications made. I was on many different years and as you go back the evolution is clear. They were making improvements in response to owners comments.

The 26 was to address the rudder longer than keel for the most part. It is hard to tell an 83 O'day 25 from a 85 O'day 26. That is until you get it out of the water and check the rudder/keel depths.

Some year they put the fuel locker in the cockpit. Some year they ran the center board line to the cockpit. And there many smaller changes visible to us who have crawled around different years.

Obviously they made good serviceable sailboat.

Ed K

 

[Joe5893]

I have a 77 Oday 25 too. We don't use the fresh water tank and I thought about taking it out and installing a permanent fuel tank in its place. Has anyone done something like that? In regards to Fernando, where did you install your tank in your Mac? Any chance you have pictures of this improvement? It sounds easy enough to do on my boat, but the water tank location is near the backside of the fuse/switch panel - not sure if there is a rule on permanent tanks and their location being near electrical panels.

Joe

 

[Joe11688]

Hello out there. I need some help on my new boat. i have a 77 o day 25
that doesn't have a hole in the transom for gas line. Is there another way
this is accomplished or do I have to drill for a gas line? I had a 22 oday years ago and it had a gas line hole. It does have a 5 hp nissan engine and
a engine bracket but no hole. Strange. Any help on this would be appreciated. Thanks

If you could construct a fuel locker under the seat in the cockpit which is open to the cockpit, it would be a lot safer than having that gasoline tank in the bilge. You could run the hose over the top of the transom to your outboard. Here's a couple of pics of mine, but I can get you some better pics and some measurements of it if you need them.

Actually the fuel lockers in these O'Days were just large enough to fit a six gal. metal gasoline tank. There aren't many poly tanks that will fit in these compartments. I have a six gallon OMC Dura-Tank that just fits. Three gallon polytanks will fit with no problem. I don't favor metal gasoline tanks. They don't last.
Joe

 

[GorillaToast]

I've got a Catalina 22, and it has a spot made to hold a tank in the port side lazarette. There are 2 cowl vents on the port coaming. This was my solution to fumes. It has a lid also. I installed a 3/4" thru hull fitting for the gas line, up near the top. The standard gas line is a snug fit.

Btw, I didn't have a pic of the actual one. That is my bilge pump outlet.

 

[Joe11688]

That's a great solution to fumes.

 

[OdayDave]

I'm with Ed that you should relax and go sailing, but only after making absolutely sure that there are no gas fumes in the cabin or bilge. That's a recipe for disaster. I've got the same 83 O'Day that Rich has. Mine has a diesel with an internal tank permanently attached in the stern, and a fill point on the coaming, and a vent out the stern. So I don't use the cockpit gas locker for gasoline. I do use it for other flammables such as propane for my grill and if I wanted to carry extra diesel, that is one place to store it. I wouldn't be comfortable with a portable gas tank anywhere in the cabin. I would put it on the cockpit sole and if you want a more permanent location, then create a cockpit locker that vents to the cockpit and out the scuppers. That would be a major project but it would be much safer. I've also seen people create a seat at the stern between the two settees and store their gas under that seat. Either way, fumes from any minor spills go out the scupper. I would not consider replacing a water tank with a gas tank since I don't want fumes getting anywhere near electrical connections. I place too high a value on my own life and those of friends and loved ones.

Just my 2 cents.

Dave
s/v Lagniappe
O'Day 25